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Koyabu D. Evolution, conservatism and overlooked homologies of the mammalian skull. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220081. [PMID: 37183902 PMCID: PMC10184252 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, studies integrating palaeontology, embryology and experimental developmental biology have markedly altered our homological understanding of the mammalian skull. Indeed, new evidence suggests that we should revisit and restructure the conventional anatomical terminology applied to the components of the mammalian skull. Notably, these are classical problems that have remained unresolved since the ninteenth century. In this review, I offer perspectives on the overlooked problems associated with the homology, development, and conservatism of the mammalian skull, aiming to encourage future studies in these areas. I emphasise that ossification patterns, bone fusion, cranial sutures and taxon-specific neomorphic bones in the skull are virtually unexplored, and further studies would improve our homological understanding of the mammalian skull. Lastly, I highlight that overlooked bones may exist in the skull that are not yet known to science and suggest that further search is needed. This article is part of the theme issue 'The mammalian skull: development, structure and function'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Koyabu
- Research and Development Center for Precision Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
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Smith TD, Ruf I, DeLeon VB. Ontogenetic transformation of the cartilaginous nasal capsule in mammals, a review with new observations on bats. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023. [PMID: 36647334 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The nasal capsule, as the most rostral part of the chondrocranium, is a critical point of connection with the facial skeleton. Its fate may influence facial form, and the varied fates of cartilage may be a vehicle contributing to morphological diversity. Here, we review ontogenetic changes in the cartilaginous nasal capsule of mammals, and make new observations on perinatal specimens of two chiropteran species of different suborders. Our observations reveal some commonalities between Rousettus leschenaultii and Desmodus rotundus, such as perinatal ossification of the first ethmoturbinal. However, in Rousettus, ossification of turbinals is demonstrated as either perichondrial or endochondral. In Desmodus, perichondrial and endochondral ossification of the posterior nasal cupula is observed at birth, a part of the nasal capsule previously shown to persist as cartilage into infancy in Rousettus. Combined with prior findings on cranial cartilages we identify several diverse transformational mechanisms by which cartilage as a tissue type may contribute to morphological diversity of the cranium. First, cartilage differentiates in an iterative fashion to increase nasal complexity, but still retains the capacity for later elaboration via de novo bone emanating outward before or after cartilage ossifies. Second, cartilage acts as a driver of growth at growth centers, or via interstitial growth (e.g., septal cartilage). Finally, cartilage as a tissue may influence the timing of ossification and union of the facial and basicranial skeleton. In particular, cartilage at certain points of ontogeny may "model" via selective resorption, showing some similarity to bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D Smith
- School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Irina Ruf
- Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Institut für Geowissenschaften, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Valerie B DeLeon
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Núñez‐León D, Nagashima H, Sánchez‐Villagra MR. Chondrocranial variation in chicken domestication. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B: MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:505-515. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Núñez‐León
- Paleontological Institute and Museum University of Zurich Zürich Switzerland
| | - Hiroshi Nagashima
- Division of Anatomy Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences Niigata Japan
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Beck RM, Voss RS, Jansa SA. Craniodental Morphology and Phylogeny of Marsupials. BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 2022. [DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090.457.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robin M.D. Beck
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment University of Salford, U.K. School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales, Australia Division of Vertebrate Zoology (Mammalogy) American Museum of Natural History
| | - Robert S. Voss
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology (Mammalogy) American Museum of Natural History
| | - Sharon A. Jansa
- Bell Museum and Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota
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Cook LE, Newton AH, Hipsley CA, Pask AJ. Postnatal development in a marsupial model, the fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata; Dasyuromorphia: Dasyuridae). Commun Biol 2021; 4:1028. [PMID: 34475507 PMCID: PMC8413461 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02506-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Marsupials exhibit unique biological features that provide fascinating insights into many aspects of mammalian development. These include their distinctive mode of reproduction, altricial stage at birth, and the associated heterochrony that is required for their crawl to the pouch and teat attachment. Marsupials are also an invaluable resource for mammalian comparative biology, forming a distinct lineage from the extant placental and egg-laying monotreme mammals. Despite their unique biology, marsupial resources are lagging behind those available for placentals. The fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) is a laboratory based marsupial model, with simple and robust husbandry requirements and a short reproductive cycle making it amenable to experimental manipulations. Here we present a detailed staging series for the fat-tailed dunnart, focusing on their accelerated development of the forelimbs and jaws. This study provides the first skeletal developmental series on S. crassicaudata and provides a fundamental resource for future studies exploring mammalian diversification, development and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Cook
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Axel H Newton
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Christy A Hipsley
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Sciences, Museums Victoria, Carlton, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew J Pask
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Sciences, Museums Victoria, Carlton, VIC, Australia.
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Yaryhin O, Klembara J, Pichugin Y, Kaucka M, Werneburg I. Limb reduction in squamate reptiles correlates with the reduction of the chondrocranium: A case study on serpentiform anguids. Dev Dyn 2021; 250:1300-1317. [PMID: 33511716 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In vertebrates, the skull evolves from a complex network of dermal bones and cartilage-the latter forming the pharyngeal apparatus and the chondrocranium. Squamates are particularly important in this regard as they maintain at least part of the chondrocranium throughout their whole ontogeny until adulthood. Anguid lizards represent a unique group of squamates, which contains limbed and limbless forms and show conspicuous variation of the adult skull. RESULTS Based on several emboadryonic stages of the limbless lizards Pseudopus apodus and Anguis fragilis, and by comparing with other squamates, we identified and interpreted major differences in chondrocranial anatomy. Among others, the most important differences are in the orbitotemporal region. P. apodus shows a strikingly similar development of this region to other squamates. Unexpectedly, however, A. fragilis differs considerably in the composition of the orbitotemporal region. In addition, A. fragilis retains a paedomorphic state of the nasal region. CONCLUSIONS Taxonomic comparisons indicate that even closely related species with reduced limbs show significant differences in chondrocranial anatomy. The Pearson correlation coefficient suggests strong correlation between chondrocranial reduction and limb reduction. We pose the hypothesis that limb reduction could be associated with the reduction in chondrocrania by means of genetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksandr Yaryhin
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Jozef Klembara
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Ecology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Yuriy Pichugin
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Marketa Kaucka
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (HEP) an der Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Fachbereich Geowissenschaften der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Pitirri MK, Kawasaki K, Richtsmeier JT. It takes two: Building the vertebrate skull from chondrocranium and dermatocranium. VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 2020; 70:587-600. [PMID: 33163116 PMCID: PMC7644101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In most modern bony vertebrates, a considerable portion of the chondrocranium remains cartilaginous only during a relatively small window of embryonic development, making it difficult to study this complex structure. Yet, the transient nature of some chondrocranial elements is precisely why it is so intriguing. Since the chondrocranium has never been lost in any vertebrate, its function is critical to craniofacial development, disease, and evolution. Experimental evidence for the various roles of the chondrocranium is limited, and though snapshots of chondrocranial development in various species at isolated time points are valuable and informative, these cannot provide the data needed to determine the functions of the chondrocranium, or its relationship to the dermatocranium in evolution, in development, or in disease. Observations of the spatiotemporal associations of chondrocranial cartilage, cartilage bone, and dermal bone over early developmental time are available for many vertebrate species and these observations represent the data from which we can build hypotheses. The testing of those hypotheses requires precise control of specific variables like developmental time and molecular signaling that can only be accomplished in a laboratory setting. Here, we employ recent advances in contrast-enhanced micro computed tomography to provide novel 3D reconstructions of the embryonic chondrocranium in relation to forming dermal and cartilage bones in laboratory mice across three embryonic days (E13.5, E14.5, and E15.5). Our observations provide support for the established hypothesis that the vertebrate dermal (exo-) skeleton and endoskeleton evolved as distinct structures and remain distinct. Additionally, we identify spatiotemporal patterning in the development of the lateral wall, roof, and braincase floor of the chondrocranium and the initial mineralization and growth of the bones associated with these cartilages that provides support for the hypothesis that the chondrocranium serves as a scaffold for developing dermatocranial bones. The experimental protocols described and data presented provide tools for further experimental work on chondrocranial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kathleen Pitirri
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kazuhiko Kawasaki
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joan T Richtsmeier
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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